The Good, the Bad, and the Vampire
by Queen'sBlade
Summary: A wild west take on the entire series! Tsukune is the new sheriff of Yokai Gulch. But will being the only human in a town populated entirely by monsters be more dangerous than it seems? Please read and review! Characters will try and remain IC.
1. A New Sheriff and A Vampire

**AUTHOR NOTE: _I do not own Rosario+Vampire or any of the characters contained within, they belong to their respective owners. Any similarities between this work and others is simply coincidental and unintentional. Seeing as this is a more "Western" take on the series, I'll be mixing a bit of dialects into normal character speech. I'll try my best to keep the characters "in character" at all times by allowing them to act as they would normally, just in a different situational setting. Also, I will try and introduce the main characters in the same way as the series, but with several western twists. I hope you all enjoy it._**

**_PS: I will also try and get accurate descriptions of what each character is wearing, so as far as clothing goes that aspect is still a WIP._**

**A New Sheriff + A Vampire**

_I'm Tsukune Aono, 15 years old. From this summer on I'll be a sparkling new sheriff... supposedly._

_I guess it started when I came home from tending the livestock when my Ma and Pa called me into the house. Seems like the mayor of a new town had dropped a strange letter when my Pa was headed on home, and when Pa read it, it looked like that new town was in need of a sheriff._

_"Ain't it great Tsukune? You can move into a new town and get work as a sheriff! You won't have to farm all your life like your Ma and I have. You can become somethin' special boy! Law enforcement! You're gonna make us so proud!" At that, Pa gave me a big ol' hug and he and Ma sent me packin' on the first stagecoach out West. I still didn't quite get why it had to be me, 'cause I mean... I'm still pretty young to be a sheriff, and on top of all that, bein' a sheriff is a pretty hard job..._

* * *

Tsukune sighed as he watched the plains roll by outside his window, glancing from time to time to the shady-looking coach driver. No matter how he looked at him, or how often he looked at him, there was just something about the man that made Tsukune feel a bit chilled. He tipped his hat just a little, covering his face as he let out a deep breath, startled at the sound of something other than horse hooves and the clattering wheels of the wagon.

"So... Sheriff of Yokai Gulch, eh?" The coach driver said suddenly.

"Uh... I reckon."

"Hope you said all your goodbyes then... 'cause after this long stretch of plain you'll see the town," The driver smirked and turned his head slowly, devilish eyes gleaming a brilliant white under the shade of his slouch hat. "And I reckon you'll never see anythin' again!!"

Tsukune blinked momentarily as lightning struck on the horizon. The demeanor of the driver was unsettling, and even as a soon-to-be sheriff with no training whatsoever, Tsukune was beginning to have second thoughts about this new career he was to be forced into.

"Take care, Sheriff." The driver said with a low chuckle, adding more to Tsukune's doubts.

* * *

It wasn't long until Tsukune bid farewell to the coach driver, still trying to shake off the uneasy feeling the man had left him with. Tsukune dusted off his clothing as the stagecoach turned around and left him near the distinct scarecrow-like sign that displayed the name of the town. He adjusted his pecan colored Reese hat, dusted off his green corduroy jacket, and made his way into the town.

"This place is awfully creepy." Tsukune said to himself as he eyed some vultures picking at an indiscernible dead animal. Another shiver shot up his spine, and as quickly as he began his pace towards town, he spun on his heels and was prepared to go back.

"Aaaa! Look out!" A voice called in the distance, and Tsukune blinked as a woman on a black horse rode towards him. "Outta the way!"

Tsukune stood frozen as the horse bucked its legs and flung the girl high off of her horse. He struggled to get under her to prevent her from injury, but instead was barreled into and the two of them went rolling along the barren plain. Tsukune blinked as he stared down at the girl, almost without words as his hand squeezed bare thigh.

"A... a girl!" He stammered, sitting back as his nose began to bleed. Instantly the girl sat up and bowed her head in apology, her hat falling from her head and into her lap. Gorgeous pink locks of hair were brushed from her eyes as she focused emerald irises on the young man.

"I'm... I'm so sorry. I was told to meet the new sheriff out here and my horse got a little out of control. I hope you can forgive me." The girl bowed her head again.

"It's... alright I guess." He held his head, feeling a bit dizzy from the initial clash between the two of them. "I'm Tsuku--"

"Oh! You're bleeding!" The girl scurried forward on her hands and knees, taking out a virgin white kerchief which she used to daub up the blood. Her nose twitched a bit and she let out a sigh, collapsing into Tsukune's chest. Tsukune, lost for words, patted the girls back nervously as he looked around for any signs of other people.

"I'm sorry but... I'm a vampire!" The girl called out, taking the time to gently claw up Tsukune's chest and plant a kiss on his neck. Warm blood began to flow in between her lips and as soon as the short kiss was done, the wound was sealed.

"Vampire?!" He yelled out, pushing a bit at the girl who clearly must have had spent too much time in the sun. There was no way that she was a vampire.

"I'm sorry! My name is Moka Akashiya, and I'm the deputy of Yokai Gulch. I didn't mean to do... what I just did... I mean... I'm real sorry and all... it's just that your blood is really tasty..." Moka explained, blushing a bit as she struggled to hide her face with her hat.

"Deputy... Moka?" Tsukune blinked and stood up, extending his hand to the girl while holding the hickey on his neck. Moka took his hand and stood, nodding and smiling.

"Uh-huh! Are you new in town? If I didn't have to meet the new sheriff I'd gladly take you around sometime. I mean, if you wanted to."

Tsukune smiled and shook his head. "I am the new sheriff. Tsukune Aono." He said without any pride in his voice whatsoever. He began dusting off his hat, beating it against his leg to get much of the dirt off as he walked side-by-side with Moka. The girl seemingly beamed and latched onto Tsukune's arm, holding on tight.

"Hey, Tsukune?" Moka immediately caught Tsukune's attention as he turned. "Do you hate vampires?"

Tsukune was taken aback by her question. Was she really a vampire? There was really no way for him to be certain other than the hickey she had left on his neck. Even that was beginning to fade.

"M-me? Hate vampires? Naw... how could I hate vampires?" _Am I really saying this? Vampires are supposed to be scary aren't they? _Tsukune thought to himself, shivering just a bit with nervousness. He'd never really spoken to a girl before since he'd lived on a farm, but he was finding it to be quite an enjoyable experience.

"I hope we get along well, then! You see... I'm new too. I've never really been a deputy until now. So let's do our best, okay?" Moka smiled even more, and the overwhelming cuteness that radiated from her was enough to make Tsukune want to stay.

* * *

After a short walk together, Tsukune was told that before he could get acquainted with everyone in town, that first he'd have to meet with the schoolmarm, Ms Nekonome. He strode into the small schoolhouse and took off his hat to be polite.

"Sheriff Tsukune? Oh it's so nice to finally meet you!" Came a voice from behind the desk, the teacher on her hands and knees pawing at a mouse hole in the wall. She stood up and smoothed out her lengthy dress, walking over to Tsukune with catlike grace. "I'm Ms Shizuka Nekonome. I'm so glad that we finally have a Sheriff now!"

"You... didn't have one before?" Tsukune asked out of reaction, not sure why the town hadn't had a sheriff before him or as to why the previous sheriff was no longer the active sheriff.

"Oh we did, yes. But you see, Yokai Gulch is a town for Monsters." Nekonome said in all seriousness. Tsukune felt his heart drop into his boots.

_M-m-monsters? _He wanted to say, but his voice seemed to catch in his throat. Seeing no sign of worry in poor Tsukune's face, Ms Nekonome continued.

"To better fit in with the traders that come through town and the nearby cities, we never go out of our human disguises." She smiled at him and held in a purr. "But I see you already know that! It helps us to survive among humans, and as an added precautionary rule, we aren't allowed to reveal our true monster forms to anyone. Do you understand that, Sheriff Tsukune?"

Needless to say, Tsukune was stunned. Was this all some sick joke? Not possible. After all, Moka had confided in him that she was a vampire, and aside from that, even Ms Nekonome seemed normal enough to be human. Maybe he fell asleep in the stagecoach and was just having a bad dream. He pinched himself to make sure.

* * *

"Yeeeeow!" Tsukune yelled out from inside the Sheriff building, pinching his arm for what must have been the hundredth time.

"Tsukune? Are you okay?" Moka asked as she strode into the main room. She hung her hat near the door and looked to Tsukune with a bit of concern.

"M-me? Yeah, I reckon I'm alright. Just... can't believe I'm a sheriff and all..."

"O-oh... 'cause you've been pinching yourself for a good while now. I'm just glad you're okay. It's alright to be nervous, because I'm nervous too." She smiled across the small table at him, and Tsukune let out a soft sigh. _She has absolutely no idea that I ain't a monster!_

"N-nervous. Yeah... right." He said, tossing his own hat onto the table. He rubbed his temples a bit, staring out the window. "Seems quiet for a monster town..." He said to himself, resting his chin on the back of his hand. His eyes trailed from the window to the holster hanging near it, nervously observing the .44 caliber Schofield revolver within. _I hope I never have to use that..._

"Tsukune? Tsukune? Hey, Tsukune!" Moka waved her hand in Tsukune's face trying to snap him out of his daze. It was really the second time Tsukune actually got a good whiff of Moka's scent. She smelled of some kind of exotic herbs, and the scent was simply intoxicating. He smiled a bit, pulled from one daze and into another.

"Tsukune, I told you that I'd show you around the town right? Let's go to the saloon, okay?" Moka smiled even more and Tsukune wasn't about to argue with her. _She's so cute!_

* * *

As the two walked down the street, several onlookers stopped and began whispering to one another, eying Tsukune and Moka suspiciously.

"Who is that guy?"

"Haven't you heard? That's Sheriff Aono!"

"What?! And that girl?"

"Deputy Akashiya I think..."

"Damn! She's so cute! Why does he get a cute deputy?"

"No clue, but I wanna be a sheriff too!"

"Me too!"

"Yeah, me too!"

Tsukune and Moka both felt a little uncomfortable about people just staring at them, but they knew they'd come to enjoy working in this town eventually. After all, they didn't plan on anything bad happening during their time in Yokai Gulch...

They made their way into the saloon, only to quickly find themselves in the middle of a fight between two of the patrons. One was a tall young man, many piercings within his ears as well as one within his lower lip, clad in almost all black. The other man was much less defined than the man in black, wearing a bowler derby with his hair concealing his eyes.

"Now you're gonna get it, punk..." The taller one said as he reeled back a punch.

Reacting almost within an instant, Tsukune drove forward and grasped onto the man's fist to stop him, only to be surprised and taken off his feet by the man's strength! Tsukune hurtled across the saloon and into a crowd of unoccupied tables. The barmaid gasped and took a few steps back, watching as the sheriff got to his feet.

"Tsukune!" Moka called out, only to be stopped by the taller man. The one he seemed to be fighting before was nowhere to be seen.

"Well, well, well... what have we here? The sheriff and his pretty deputy?" The man said, grasping Moka around the waist to pull her closer. A long, snakelike tongue emerged from his mouth, licking his lips in a fiendish manner. "What's a girl like you doing with a weak-ass guy like him anyway?" The man taunted.

"Moka! You leave her alone!" Tsukune said, holding onto a nearby chair for support. He staggered forward, determined to keep Moka out of trouble. His father at least taught him that much. The other patrons within the bar scattered outside as the man hovered over Tsukune, leering down at him.

"You listen and listen good, Sheriff. Name's Saizou Komiya, and I don't take kindly to people butting into business that ain't theirs to begin with. Thanks to you, that photographer Nagare got away. Now I may just be forced to eat you..." Saizou licked his lips again before Moka pulled Tsukune from his grasp. The two seemed to stare at Komiya for a long moment before he noticed that most of the townsfolk were gathered just outside the swinging doors of the saloon.

"Heh, you got lucky lawman. Maybe next time you won't have your deputy to bail out out, eh?" With that said, Saizou dropped Tsukune and pushed his way out of the saloon past the crowd that had gathered. Murmurs erupted from outside as things seemed to go back to normal, Tsukune shivering a bit.

_I just stood up to a monster and I could have... I could have DIED! What on earth was I thinking?! I can't be the sheriff of a monster town! They... they'd eat me! All of them!__They're all really MONSTERS!_

* * *

"Tsukune? Are you okay? Did that Saizou guy hurt you?" Moka asked as she tried to lean in and inspect Tsukune for any wounds he may have sustained. The two had made their way back to the sheriff's post after the confrontation, and Moka seemed more concerned with Tsukune's health than he was. After all... he could have been killed.

"It hurt when I hit into the tables, but I'm fine Moka. Really." He feigned a smile, holding back the pain he was feeling in his back. What hurt him the most was his inability to protect Moka. He'd seen how strong Saizou was, and there wasn't much he could do to stop the guy.

"I bet if you used your monster powers Tsukune, you could have beaten Saizou, right? I mean, this rosario on my chest--" Moka slowly moved her hands to her chocolate colored fringe beaded vest, gently spreading apart the top button to show off an elaborate silvered rosary. "-- if it is ever removed, I can become a very scary monster. But with you as the sheriff, you must be really--"

"I'm not a monster..." Tsukune said softly, his eyes focused on the table between them.

"What was that Tsukune? I couldn't hear you..."

"I'm not a monster! I don't have any powers! I can't protect anyone! I'm just an average human!" He slammed his fist onto the table, the smaller items jostling a little at the impact. Moka stood in shocked silence, staring at Tsukune for a long moment before they were both snapped out of their silence by a familiar voice.

"Sheriff Aono! Let's finish what we meant to start back in the saloon, eh?"

It was Saizou.

Tsukune sat frozen in his seat, trembling with intense fear. Saizou wanted to fight him. _Him. _A _human!_

"C'mon Aono! Fight me! Monster to monster!" Saizou taunted, walking down the lengthy dirt street. The entire town was silent, many of them peeking through the windows to hopefully get a good look at a fight between the new sheriff and the brutish Saizou.

Tsukune never raised his eyes to meet Moka's gaze, but if he had, he would have seen one not of disdain, but of pity. And not the bad kind of pity. The kind of pity one receives from a parent or sibling. The more welcomed kind.

"Tsukune..."

"I'll... I'll...." Tsukune began, but Moka quickly grabbed him by the shoulders and pushed him towards the back of the room.

"You'll hide Tsukune! I'll think of something!" She determined his course of action for him, kicking him out the back door of the jail. Moka quickly spun around, grabbed her gun and holster from the rack by the door and emerged to face Saizou.

_Moka. I can't just let her fight that Saizou guy all alone. It's me he's after... why is she protecting me? I'm a human... d-don't monsters hate humans? _Tsukune thought to himself, peeking around the side of the building.

Before he could get a good look at what was going on, a shrill scream echoed through the quiet town. Tsukune quickly reached for his gun, realizing that it was still inside the jail. He frantically made his way for the door, only to hear the sadistic chuckle of Komiya out in the street.

"Aono! I've got your pretty deputy here... if you don't want nothin' bad to happen to her, come on out and maybe I won't have her for lunch..."

Tsukune realized he didn't have time to go for his weapon and still have a chance at saving Moka. He took a deep breath and stood up, darting from the side alley of the jail towards the street.

"Aono! What are you chic—AAGH!" Saizou grunted as Tsukune slammed into him with all the force of his body. He may not have been fast, but Saizou had been preoccupied with calling the sheriff out and hadn't the sense to notice Tsukune bolting towards him.

The slam knocked Moka free from Saizou's grasp, the troublemaker standing up to his full height. Tsukune winced and struggled to get up, Moka rushing to his aide.

"Tsukune!"

"Run... Moka..." He pushed at her shoulder weakly. Hitting into Saizou like that was like hitting a brick wall and Tsukune felt like almost every bone in his body was crushed.

"I can't leave you here like this! He's going to kill you!" Moka began to hold back tears as Saizou began to growl, his eyes turning red for a brief moment, long enough for him to rip out of his clothing. Bony protrusions were visible on his flesh, and his tongue snaked further out of his mouth.

"I'll do more than just kill him... I'm going to eat him alive!" Saizou rushed the two of them, his heavy steps shaking the ground around them. Moka let out a scream as she cradled Tsukune into her chest, Tsukune using whatever energy he had left to push Moka to the ground to avoid Saizou's oncoming attack.

_Huh? Wh-what's this?_ Tsukune slowly opened his eyes, glancing at the same silver rosario that Moka had shown him only a short time ago. _Is... is this... Moka's rosario?_

A brilliant flash of crimson light shone across the street, and a swarm of bats flew to coat the young vampire. The dark black wings and bodies covered every visible inch of the girl, leaving nothing but a black humanoid shape. Komiya smirked and hovered dangerously close to the blackened mass.

"Eh? Hiding from me? That ain't gonna work little deput-EEEE!!" Komiya grunted as the swarm massed around his field of vision for a scant moment. After his vision was cleared, the once cute and innocent looking deputy had changed almost before his eyes. Her bust had grown larger, her thighs and buttocks more defined. Her hair went from a lovely pink to a silvery-white. Moreover, he stepped backwards at the sheer power that Moka seemed to exude. And all that power seemingly focused into her now vibrant crimson eyes.

"Wh-what's this power?! She... she can't be... a... a..." Komiya took another step back, hands raised.

"Vampire." The inner Moka stated, brushing back a long stroke of hair. She placed a hand on her hip, her already short denim skirt showing off her virgin white panties. The newly released Moka tapped the tip of her brown oasis-style boots on the ground, taking a few test skips in them as she warmed up.

"Wh-who cares if you're a vampire?! I'm not going to let a monster like that show me up! I'm gonna--"

"Are you going to quit talking?" Moka interrupted, her aura expanding a bit more. The intensity was so great that it began to knock over barrels lined in alleys nearby, and was slowly pushing Saizou backwards.

"Wh-what?!"

"You're the kind that thinks it's alright to go around bullying those who are smaller than you. You're the most disgusting kind of monster there is." Moka took a few steps forward, each one causing the brute to backpedal two steps for every one she took.

"Know your place!" Moka charged Komiya, fading from sight as a powerful kick with the heel of her boot was delivered to Saizou's chin. The massive monster could barely hold himself together as he flew into the air, crashing backwards into the horse trough outside the saloon. Saizou was knocked unconscious, and there didn't seem to be any signs of him waking up anytime soon.

"M-moka..." Tsukune grunted from the ground, slowly gaining his footing as she helped him stand. In that same motion, Moka snatched the rosario from Tsukune's sweaty grasp.

"Scared? Don't you worry none... you're safe. After all, your blood is 'really tasty', right? So quit bein' a jittery mess and make sure nothin' like this happens again." The silver-haired Moka warned, and Tsukune could do nothing more than gulp and nod. He ached all over, and he didn't have the nerve to stand up to someone as scary as Moka. All of that nerve had left during his attempt to save her in the first place.

_Moka? Which one... is really Moka?_

* * *

"Tsukune... you came back to rescue me. Why?" Moka asked as she poured the two of them cups of tea. Tsukune had suffered a few nasty bruises but nothing was broken thankfully. After a few days of recovery and rest, Tsukune had finally woken up and began his duties as sheriff.

"It didn't feel right to let you fight my fight, Moka. I mean, you _did _beat Saizou... and all I did was get in the way from the start. At first I had thought about fighting him and telling you to run, but after you pushed me out the back I thought 'this is my chance to finally get away!'..." Tsukune sighed and stared into his teacup, raising the glass to his lips.

"I'm glad you didn't run, Tsukune." Moka smiled brightly and sat down next to him. "If you did, I don't think I would have had much of a reason to stay here either."

"Moka..." Tsukune said, staring into Moka's eyes.

"Tsukune..." She returned the same stare.

"Moka..."

"Tsukune... sorry..."

"Sorry? For what?"

"Sorry... I'm a vampire!" She leaned in slowly, tipping Tsukune out of his chair as her vampiric kiss was placed on the bare skin of his neck. He let out a scream of protest as he felt his lifeblood flowing out of him and into her warm lips.

_And so begins my truly bizarre life as the human sheriff of an all-monster town. I think I made the right choice in stickin' around, because I know I'm not alone here. Moka and I have a lot to learn about being upstanding law folk, but I think we can manage. After all, it's only been one day... how much worse can it get?_


	2. A Saloon Girl and A Vampire

**AUTHOR NOTE: _I apologize for the delay in regards to this chapter! This is chapter two for those of you who may or may not have known. I hope you are enjoying the story so far, because I am having a great time writing it. As promised I've got clothing descriptions for both Tsukune and Moka, and not to spoil anything, but for a certain saloon girl as well! _**

_**Tsukune**** – pecan Reese hat, green corduroy jacket, tan pants, Grizzly Mountain boots**_

_**Moka**** – putty Addison hat, chocolate fringe-beaded vest, denim skirt, brown Oasis-style boots**_

_**Kurumu**** – red lace trimmed satin dress with attached black sash, tulle and lace petticoat, fishnet pantyhose, jeweled choker, feathered headpiece, black/red devil buckle platform boots**_

**A Saloon Girl + A Vampire**

_Dear Ma and Pa,_

_In case you were wondering, I'm doing just fine here in Yokai Gulch. Thankfully I get my own room and I don't have to worry much about others invading my privacy. Because you see, Yokai Gulch is a town made for monsters and inhabited only by monsters... until another stagecoach rolls into town I guess I'm stuck as the new sheriff... but there is something that is kind of keeping me here..._

* * *

"Hey! It's the new deputy!"

"Yeah! Moka Akashiya! Ain't she the prettiest thing you ever did see?"

"Oh? G'morning Tsukune!" Moka said as she latched onto Tsukune's arm, taking the new young sheriff off guard for a moment. He simply smiled and tipped his hat to his newest friend and deputy.

"Mornin' Moka." He continued to smile, pleased to know that the person keeping his humanity a secret was also someone he knew he could trust his life to.

"Somethin' wrong?" Moka asked, walking down the main stretch of road in the small town.

"Nah, just thinkin' is all..." Tsukune replied, his mind clearly not focused on the conversation. Despite a few days of rest, he was still aching a bit from his bout with Saizou. If he had to deal with anyone who was even remotely as strong as Komiya was, Tsukune was sure he wasn't going to last long as sheriff.

"Tsukune... I..." Moka began, nervously kicking the tip of her boot in the dirt.

"What is it?" He replied, smiling at his deputy and friend.

"Tsukune."

"Moka."

"Tsukune..."

"Moka..."

The pink haired deputy leaned in close, tilting Tsukune's head to the side slowly as she reeled her head back to place a kiss on his neck, again sucking his blood. Moka sighed after the vampiric kiss was complete, holding her cheeks with longing.

"So delicious~"

Tsukune writhed a bit and staggered backwards, his arms flailing in protest. "I ain't your breakfast, Moka! Aaaah!" He turned sharply on his heel and began running in the opposite direction, leaving a confused Moka behind in the dust cloud.

"Hmm," A young, feminine voice hummed from atop the balcony of one of the continental hotel rooms. A gentle sway of her body caused her bosom to bounce with a healthy _bawoom _sound. Her purple eyes locked on Tsukune and Moka as they passed by, most unable to notice her presence from so high up.

* * *

Tsukune walked off towards the sheriff's post sighing thoughtfully, his focus brought back when he heard the splintering of wood as well as a shrill scream.

"Someone please! Please help me!" A voice cried out, and Tsukune immediately turned his gaze skyward. A young girl had broken through the wooden balcony and was falling towards the ground.

Thinking and reacting as quickly as possible, Tsukune rushed forward and caught the girl in his arms, stumbling to the ground. Everything for him went dark for a second, but he could feel the softness of something against his face. He reached up slowly to brush whatever it was away, only to feel an extremely soft, pillowy material.

"Ah~ Sheriff Aono, you saved me..." A girls voice said, sitting up as she straddled Tsukune's lap. He could see the light of day, as well as the placement of his hand on the girls breast! _Soft!!_

"I-it was nothing! Nothing at all!" Tsukune said, yanking his hand away. He didn't want the townsfolk to think he was some kind of pervert by groping a girl in broad daylight. "Mind tellin' me what happened?" Tsukune asked, helping the blue-haired girl to her feet.

"I've always been a little faint, and my chest is just so heavy..." She leaned in and pressed her buxom chest against his, gently massaging the clothed flesh up and down. "So heavy they tipped me right off that balcony..."

"H-h-heavy...?"

"Yes... and tight. So tight it could almost burst right out of this corset..." The girl pulled the top string on the corset as a bit more of her cleavage came into view. Tsukune tried his best to hold in a nosebleed, tilting his head backward to avoid looking. The girl smirked a bit as he avoided looking directly at her and took a solitary step backwards.

"My name is Kurumu Kurono. It's so good to finally make your acquaintance, Sheriff." Kurumu smiled, her eyes trying to lock onto Tsukune's. However, the boy was trying his hardest not to stare at the semi-exposed mounds of flesh. That didn't last long...

Tsukune turned his eyes downward, meeting with the enchanting purple hues Kurumu possessed and felt more of his body losing control of itself. He could feel himself longing to hold her closer, and with every passing second he didn't, the compulsion became greater and greater. Eventually he lost control and latched onto her, hugging her tightly.

"Kyaaa~ Sheriff! Is that any way to hold a woman~?" Kurumu teased, enjoying every moment that the lawman held her close. She giggled in a coy fashion, pressing herself more against him in order to fully control his whims.

_What am I doing? Why do I feel like I have to hold her like this? _Tsukune had free reign over his thoughts, but his actions weren't his own anymore. Tsukune had barely noticed that Moka was watching them from afar...

* * *

"Tsukune..." Moka mumbled softly to herself back at the sheriff's post. She rested her head on her forearms, staring out the window as she waited for Tsukune to return. "Who was that with Tsukune?" She wondered aloud, concern for her friend growing within her.

She thought back to that morning and the few mornings before, all of which involved her taking a delectable sampling of his blood. The vampire sighed and closed her eyes, resting her nose against the table. _Do I really just want to suck his blood? I mean, he's my friend... friend's don't do that do they?_

_**"You're really lettin' that get to you?"**_ The rosario began to glow on Moka's chest, the red eye focusing to a sharp, dagger-thin slit. Moka couldn't recognize the voice, and quickly she looked around for where the sound could be coming from. _**"You should work on gettin' that boy back here to do his job..."**_

"Th-the rosario?" Moka blinked, finally looking down at the silvery pendant. The deputy continued to look down at the neck adornment, but no other sound came from it. The pretty pink-haired vampire was sure she had heard it scolding her, but even then it had a point: she needed to apologize to Tsukune for what she had been doing. He was her friend after all; not her breakfast. Moka quickly gathered her hat and holster, quickly making her way back into the lightly bustling street dividing Yokai Gulch.

"You're a vampire, right?" A voice from above echoed down as Moka moved from the stoop of the sheriff's post. Her emerald green hues focused on the form of the saloon girl, Kurumu. "...'least that's what folks've been saying."

"You're the girl from earlier!"

"Mhm~ the succubus Kurumu Kurono. And you, Moka Akashiya are a thorn in the side of my plan." Kurumu leapt from atop the sheriff's building, landing as the hem of her dress lifted to show off her undergarments. The nearby men in town swooned and admired them, tossing out compliments to the attractive saloon girl.

"Wh-what plan?"

Kurumu chuckled and stepped closer, pressing her massive bust against those of the deputy's.

"Yep. My plan is to get every male in town to become my love slaves!" Kurumu let out a victorious laugh, her chest jiggling with the haughtiness of her actions. "The Yokai Gulch Harem Transformation Plan!"

"Ain't it against town rules to reveal your true form?" Moka replied, still unable to comprehend this "plan" Kurumu continued to speak of. The nervous deputy took another step backward.

"Instead of focusin' on me though, all the men in town have their eyes on you!" She stomped her foot and gritted her teeth. Some of the townspeople gathered around, eager to see the confrontation between the vampiric deputy and the demonic saloon girl.

"That's why I plan to steal Sheriff Aono away from you and defeat you completely!"

"But this doesn't have anythin' to do with Tsukune!"

"Ohh but it does... he smells so good doesn't he?" Kurumu grinned and narrowed her gaze on Moka's eyes. "Almost like he were _human..._ you use the poor Sheriff for his blood, right?"

Moka stammered a bit but before she could respond a voice called out from behind her. Moka turned to the open square to face the source: the current topic of conversation, Tsukune.

"I found you! I've been looking all over for---!!" Tsukune called out, hurrying his steps towards his friend and deputy, only to be intercepted by Kurumu.

"It's my hero, the Sheriff! Oh Tsukune, how can I ever thank you?" The succubus smiled in her coy manner, pressing her body firmly against the young man.

"M-miss Kurumu?! W-what are you doing here? I came to talk to Moka!"

"Tsukune, Kurumu is tricking you! She ain't as nice as she seems!" Moka protested, trying to force herself between the two of them, only to be pushed away by Kurumu's harsh words.

"Sheriff! Your deputy is saying such awful things about me... they ain't true. Not at all!" Her violet hues met with the natural earthen dark of Tsukune's eyes, another wave coming over him. He staggered a bit in Kurumu's grip, trying to regain his footing.

_"W-what's going on? Everytime Kurumu looks at me... I... I lose control..."_

"Tsukune?" Moka said helplessly, staring on as her friends eyes glazed over.

"She was telling me that she just wants your blood, Sheriff!" Kurumu began to butt in again, her eyes shooting back to Moka to observe her reaction.

"Oh? Is that it?" Tsukune replied dreamily, turning on his heel with Kurumu on his arm. "That's why she's concerned. I get it now..." He wobbled a bit, his head reeling as he couldn't believe the words coming from his mouth.

Moka, crushed emotionally, took off running, leaving the Sheriff and the determinately evil succubus behind.

* * *

Inside one of the rooms above the Apsaras Saloon, the cunning succubus basked in her victory over the sheriff's deputy, Moka Akashiya.

_"Yahohoo~ The look on her face was priceless! And now..."_ Her eyes turned to the seemingly downtrodden Sheriff Aono, who was staring at his boots ever since they arrived in Kurumu's room. A faint hint of remorse showed on Kurono's face but she quickly moved in to embrace the sheriff to her chest.

"Now don't you go worryin' about your deputy, Sheriff." Kurumu began, pushing Tsukune's face into her pillowy breasts. "Miss Kurumu is here for you... so let me make you feel better, eh?" She moved back just a bit before taking his cheeks into her hands.

_"Just one kiss, and he's mine. All mine!"_ Kurumu cheered herself on in her mind while leaning in for the final blow.

But just as suddenly as she tried, Tsukune grasped the succubus saloon girl to him in a diverting embrace.

"Kyaaa~ Sheriff Aono~!" Kurumu said in her coy manner, trying to free herself from his grip.

"Begging your pardon, Miss Kurumu... but I can't be doing these kinds of things with you. It ain't right to Moka. Did you see the way she ran off?" Tsukune's tone was soft and even, though one could tell he had felt really horrible for the way he had treated his new friend and deputy.

"W-who cares?!" Kurumu snapped back, shoving Tsukune backwards in his chair. She capitalized on the attack and straddled him, staring down at him with her large, purple eyes. "She's not here and _I_ am. I put on this act just to win you over and you _still_ want her? Is that it?"

Kurumu held her head in her hands as the fabric on the back of her dress began to rip and show signs of spreading further to accommodate the batwings on her back! Tsukune found himself in shock, forgetting briefly that the inhabitants of Yokai Gulch were monsters.

"Tsukune!" A voice cried out and all eyes went to the open doorway. There stood Moka, revolver in hand as she stared down the succubus with conviction. Her eyes shot to Tsukune briefly before dropping her gun to grab the nearby wooden chair and heft it upward. The vampiric deputy swung it mightily at the seductive saloon girl, knocking her from atop her friend and out the glass window.

"Moka! W-what are you--?" Tsukune was quickly silenced as Moka knelt down to help him up.

"Miss Kurumu is a succubus! M-my... my Rosario told me so." She said apologetically, staring out the open window. All seemed calm for a moment. "Her kiss would have put you under her spell and--"

"Some deputy you have, Sheriff Aono. Knockin' a lady out of a window with a chair!" Kurumu's voice echoed as she floated just outside the window, her full succubus form revealed. Her nails had grown significantly longer, her ears had gained slight points, and aside from her wings a rather prehensile and devilish-looking tail swayed beneath her dress.

"And now I'll finish you both! If I can't have Tsukune, then no one will!" Kurumu cackled and whipped her tail around, grasping Moka about the neck to drag the poor girl out of the wrecked hole in the saloon's upper floor.

Tsukune reached out and gripped Moka's leg before she was too far from his reach, both of them being tugged from the room and into the open air.

Kurumu hadn't expected the sudden shift in weight and all three came tumbling down into the street, Tsukune protecting Moka with a roll upon impact with the ground. The lawful duo winced as they regained themselves, scanning the skies for Kurumu.

"Tsukune! You have to remove my Rosario!" Moka pleaded, and just as she did, Tsukune's hand clasped on the silver trinket and gave it a firm tug.

Nothing.

"It... it isn't working!" Tsukune said as he heard Kurumu wailing above them, flying down at them like a falcon about to snatch a field mouse.

"You'd best say your goodbyes, because you'll both be dead soon!" Kurumu clawed at the nearest awning, sending the debris crashing towards the helpless sheriff and deputy. Tsukune again pushed Moka out of the way, standing in front of his deputy while nursing a wound suffered to his side.

"I won't let you hurt Moka on account of me!" Tsukune groaned, looking to his wound, feeling a slightly familiar weight in his palm. His eyes focused on the silver pendant whose single red eye flashed a bright crimson for a moment, the sky growing dark almost instantly. A powerful monstrous aura filled the area, pulsing with enough force to cause the smallest objects to tremble.

"N-no! I don't care how powerful you are!" Kurumu declared at the top of her lungs, staring down at the platinum-haired Inner Moka. "I won't have you ruin my plan of finding my destined one among the men of Yokai Gulch!"

In her fury, the succubus dove at the newly released form of the formerly pink-haired deputy, her vision blurred by the sheer rage that emanated through her very being. Kurumu held her claws out, prepared to slice at the powerful vampire.

"Blaming others for ruining a plan that was destined to fail to begin with?" The darker side of Moka smirked, tipping her hat down over her face to obscure it, the faintest gleam of her fangs could be seen from Kurumu's vantage. Her head rose quickly as she flicked her putty-colored hat towards the succubus like a Frisbee. "How naive!"

Kurumu reeled back in the air as the hat hit her in the face, her tail swinging along with her body as she floated upright. A sudden tug on it made her eyes go wide as the Inner Moka used all of her vampiric strength to send the poor saloon girl crashing into the ground, leaving a dry crater around her.

Moka chuckled as she released the spiked tail, brushing back a few strands of silvery hair that fell into her field of vision. Slowly, the vampire loomed over the injured succubus who began to writhe in pain.

"You're still just a girl," Inner Moka stated as she planned to finish the woman off. "and it's a shame you ain't goin' to get any older..."

Kurumu's eyes went wide with fear, closing them quickly to avoid witnessing her own demise. It was then that a figure placed itself between the imposing vampire and the weakened succubus.

"Out of the way, Tsukune. That girl needs to learn what happens to those who plan to break the law..." Moka stated, her eyes full of determination.

"We can't teach someone if they're dead. It's not how I plan to handle things here as Sheriff, Moka." Tsukune felt a lump in his throat as he nervously made a stand against the visibly awesome power of his deputy. He had nothing on her except status, and even that was moot at this point. He only hoped he could stop her.

"She may have given the wrong impression at first, but I reckon she's sorry..." He tried to explain it, feeling it was rational in his mind. However, it was hard to tell how the Inner Moka rationalized such things.

Moka swiftly swiped the Rosario from Tsukune's surprisingly deft grip and held it for a moment.

"Don't go gettin' the wrong idea, Sheriff. Unlike your 'other deputy', I'm more interested in keepin' your blood safe. Remember that." Moka said as the Rosario was clipped back onto her choker, her transformation slowly reversing...

* * *

"W-what do you mean your Rosario talked to you?" Tsukune asked in awe as he hung his hat near the door. He looked back to his deputy who sat looking rather demurely at the tabletop in the sheriff's post.

"The seal must be weakenin'," Moka said softly before looking up to her friend. "If it stops workin', Tsukune, will you still like me?"

"Of course! Doesn't matter to me if'n you drink blood or turn into a scary woman... you'll always be Moka to me." He smiled to reassure her of this fact, the two sharing a longing stare until the door burst open.

"Mornin'!" Came a familiar voice as a blue-haired woman entered the post holding in her arms what seemed to be a small, colorful cloth bag.

"M-miss Kurumu! W-what are you doin' here?" Moka asked, clearly surprised by the visit.

"I baked Tsukune some cookies usin' the kitchen in the saloon." Kurumu smiled and set the small bag down in front of the sheriff.

"Why for me though?"

"Don't y'all remember when I said I was looking for my 'destined one'?"

Both Tsukune and Moka nodded in response.

"Since the sheriff risked his life to save mine, I've decided!" Kurumu said with a wide smile.

"Decided what?" The sheriff and deputy asked in unison.

"That Tsukune is my destined one! I'm in love~!" The saloon girl clung to Tsukune's arm with a look of sheer adoration in her eyes.

"Sheriff do somethin'! She's gone crazy!" Moka exclaimed as Tsukune darted for the door, both girls following close behind.

"Everythin' I do just makes it worse!" The poor human sheriff continued running, Kurumu daydreaming of wedding bells while Moka called out to bring Tsukune back to the sheriff's post.


	3. An Indian Girl and A Vampire

**AUTHOR NOTE: _Chapter three for those of you who have been keeping up with the series. I'm surprised at how many reviews I've gotten (none of them bad either! But that doesn't mean I want bad reviews... no bad reviews please!) And as I had done with the previous chapter, here is Yukari's clothing description! _**

**NOTE ON YUKARI'S CLOTHING: _I wanted to go for something slightly more unique, so I didn't just stick with one particular nation of Native Americans for inspiration. So I've combined a few to give her the unique appearance I was going for. Hopefully you all enjoy it!_**

**_Yukari_**_** – abbreviated (short skirt-style) Cheyenne buckskin dress, black line of paint over the eyes, feathered headband, Sioux dance staff, Kiowa moccasins with beaded vamps **_

**An Indian Girl + A Vampire**

Peering out from behind one of the support beams to the General Store, a young girl, perhaps not even in her teens yet, focused her violet hues upon the sheriff and his young deputy, Moka Akashiya. The young girl wasn't dressed like others in Yokai Gulch, and in fact she was quite the outsider due to her appearance. Others described her as an "Indian Maiden" of sorts, and of course she was indeed what they claimed her to be. The youth smiled and continued to admire the pink-haired deputy from afar until her concentration was rudely broken.

"Howdy, Yukari Sendo..." One of the voices spoke, causing the little girl to turn on her heels. "Back in town again, I see."

"You are from the prospecting camp..." The girl replied with a slight amount of shock in her voice.

"A young girl like you coming into town by herself. One would think your people abandoned you here." The first man smirked as he continued to speak, placing his hands into his corduroy trousers. "Kinda makes a man sick to see a dirty little 'injun' in town..."

Yukari stayed quiet as the lead prospector talked, his cronies chuckling along with his crass commentary. She gave a slight wave of her staff behind her back and watched as not one, but three heavy clay pots were conjured from thin air and collided with the heads of the bullying prospectors.

_CRASH!!_

Yukari began to laugh lightly, wiping a tear from her eye as she reveled in the slight misery that was inflicted upon her taunters. What she hadn't expected was that the leader would have regained himself so quickly and began to stride towards her, a wickedly clawed hand jutting towards her young face!

"You filthy brat! Just who do you think you are?" He advanced upon her, prepared to give her what she deserved--

"Stop it right now!" Came a female voice as a form prevented the prospector from getting too close to the maiden. He skidded a bit in his step, staring down at the determined face of Moka Akashiya.

"I don't know what you think she's done, but don't go usin' violence against her. Not in this town." Moka said with stern conviction, her emerald eyes focused on the jagged features of the lead prospector.

The man stood there a moment and looked back to his followers, perhaps they were eager to see if their leader would take on the deputy of the town. However, the man scoffed and adjusted his suspenders slightly before turning his back to them.

"I made my point anyways. Let's go..." And with that said, the three men headed out towards the other end of Yokai Gulch.

With that, Moka let out a sigh of relief and turned to smile at the young maiden, Yukari.

* * *

"Thank you very much for saving me," Yukari said as she bowed her head, grateful that she had been rescued by the deputy she had been watching just moments ago.

Moka and Tsukune had brought the young girl to the Apsaras Saloon for a hot meal and a chance to calm her nerves from the potential threat that had come her way.

"No one deserves to be picked on 'cause they're different. You're so independent and smart, 'specially at eleven years old!" Moka had been laying on the compliments, likely trying to make Yukari feel more accepted among the townspeople. "And your outfit is really cute!"

Yukari felt flustered, her cheeks growing hot and showing obvious signs of blushing.

"N-no no! Miss Moka is the one who is really beautiful. I-in fact..." Yukari paused and Tsukune and Moka continued to look on at the little Indian girl.

"I... I love you Miss Moka!" And with that, Yukari leaped across the table, colliding with Moka as they both were on the ground. Tsukune tried to get the look of shock from his face, but in his mind he couldn't help but seem confused and surprised all at once.

_"You what?!!"_

"I always see you in town, and since you saved me I've decided that I want to be around you all the time! May I? Please may I?" Yukari begged, clinging firmly to Moka's midsection as the nervous deputy shot a glance to Tsukune who was clearly more confused than anyone.

"I... I don't mind being friends, Yukari."

The maiden beamed a bright smile and continued to cling to Moka, Tsukune doing all in his power to prevent some naughtier thoughts from entering his head.

* * *

Much of the day went by, Moka trying her best to keep calm as the Yukari clung to her from behind, her hands firmly clenched upon her clothed bosom. Townsfolk stared on, many of them uncomfortable with the sight, but certainly no one was as uncomfortable as Moka was right at that time.

"They feel much larger than they are! So soft and pillowy! I'm still as flat as the Plains!" Yukari complimented, giving a squeeze with almost every other word.

"Just a cotton picking minute!" Tsukune yelled as he stepped out onto the porch of the Sheriffs Post, pointing at the conjoined pair of Moka and Yukari. "What on earth are you girls doing?!!"

"I expected you would show," Yukari said in a slightly annoyed tone, speaking from behind the still-blushing deputy. "Tsukune Aono. Average Sheriff. No abilities to speak of. Nothing to grant merit as Sheriff of an entire town. Useless."

Tsukune reeled at the thought of being called "useless" by a little girl, even one who didn't know him that well.

"And I do not wish for Miss Moka to be around you any longer. You are not worthy of her." The maiden gave a firm grope to Moka's chest again, eliciting a sharp gasp from the vampire.

Tsukune let his mind wander to the thoughts he was trying to suppress for so long, only to be broken from his daydream to hear the continuance of Yukari's speech.

"As such, I am forced to use my shaman staff!" She spun around and pointed the end in Tsukune's face, at long last giving Moka's chest a chance to breathe without hands cupping over them. "This will ensure that you stay away from Miss Moka forever!"

With a wave of her staff, spittoons, barrels, sacks full of feed and flour, and various movable odds and ends came hurtling towards the unsuspecting sheriff, colliding with him at all angles with the intent to cause injury. Tsukune helplessly tried to cover his head and lower areas from the assault, groaning out in pained surprise.

"Tsukune!!" Moka cried out in response.

"Aaagh! W-why do they--?!!" Tsukune questioned as a coil of rope belted him across the cheek.

"It's magic! You see... I'm a witch!* I'll use my magic to ensure Miss Moka is safe from the clutches of the icky men of this town!"

_"She revealed her true nature?!!" _Tsukune and Moka both thought in surprise, though the sheriff's thoughts were cut off when a full trough of water landed squarely on his noggin.

* * *

"Yukari... Sendou?" Kurumu said in a questioning tone as she handed Tsukune a shot of whiskey to alleviate the pain. The sheriff downed the shot and clicked his teeth due to the taste, nodding in response as he recovered from the bitter flavor.

"Because of her, I can't even get close to Moka..." Tsukune sighed, dejected.

_"Yahohoo! How lucky is that? I'll have to thank you personally, Yukari!"_ Kurumu grinned, her sights focused on Tsukune once more.

"I heard she's plumb smart for her age, but she's still just a kid. Top it off, no one in town likes her." The saloon girl continued to explain, sitting next to Tsukune who nursed a throbbing bruise on his cheek.

Little did the two know, just outside the homestead hospital, the young Indian Maiden was already busy at work with a doll made out of straw. She stifled her giggling long enough to insert a dark strand of hair into the little toy, moving it's limbs about freely.

"You can play with that big-breasted girl, Sheriff Aono..." Yukari whispered, moving the hands on the doll until Tsukune's actions were the result of the doll's movements. The unknowing sheriff couldn't control his hands as they were placed upon the chest of the more-than-willing succubus.

"Tsukune? I finally got away from Yukari--" Moka's voice carried through the narrow halls of the home-turned-hospital, her thoughts cut off at the sight of Tsukune avidly groping Kurumu's chest.

The human sheriff turned in surprise, trying his best to stammer out an explanation to his actions, Kurumu moaning and giggling beneath of him.

"M-m-moka! Th-this isn't what it--"

"Tsukune..." Moka could feel the irritation rising as a vein of stress pulsed in her temple.

Moka would have immediately blamed Tsukune for his debauched actions or Kurumu and her ability to "charm" others, but the youthful giggling that could be heard just outside the window hinted at the true culprit...

* * *

"You can't cotton to this kind of behavior anymore, Moka! Somethin' has gotta be done about her!" Tsukune fumed, slamming his hand off of the table back at the Sheriff's Post. He seemed so angry that he couldn't stay seated, pacing back and forth while rubbing the area between his eyes.

"Tsukune, she's still just a kid. She don't know no better--" Moka tried to defend, only to be cut short.

"That ain't an excuse! It isn't good if the townsfolk don't get along with her, so she's gotta stop doing things that make them hate her." Tsukune turned his eyes from Moka to the young Indian maiden hiding behind Moka for protection.

"If'n you keep this up, Yukari, everyone in town is gonna hate you and you're gonna be all by your lonesome." The young sheriff hoped he could explain it well enough to where the girl would understand and likely heed his words.

"It does not matter... I've been alone from the very start..." Yukari tried her hardest to hold back her tears, and thankfully the black stripe of paint over her eyes made the forming sadness a bit hard to discern. The little Indian turned quickly and pushed her way past the sheriff, his deputy, and the busty saloon girl.

Yukari continued to run, her eyes focused on the ground as she hoped that every step would quickly lead her safely out of town. It wasn't until she hit the solid body of a would-be passerby and fell onto her bottom.

"Still haven't left town? You're beginnin' to be a real problem 'round these parts..." The head prospector chuckled, leering down at the youthful witchling. "Y'all enjoyed makin' fools of us in front of the whole town, didn't you? We've been waitin' to teach you some respect, little injun'..."

* * *

"Moka! You're gonna stick up for her after what she did? I'm the Sheriff and you're my deputy! She's gotta show us both the same respect!" Tsukune tried to explain, staring into the emerald-green of Moka's eyes. The poor girl was on the verge of breaking down in tears.

"That ain't it, Tsukune! That ain't it at all!" Moka turned and grabbed her holster from the peg near the doorway and burst from the Sheriff's post, leaving Tsukune and Kurumu behind.

"I gotta give Yukari credit, she is a real witch." Kurumu started, a bit apprehensive in speaking her mind after Moka's sudden exit. "No wonder folks don't like 'em."

"Don't like... witches?" Tsukune asked as he turned his eyes from the open door to Kurumu for an explanation.

"When she said she'd always been alone? I reckon she's right. Witches ain't full humans or full monsters. They're kinda the border between them. They don't fit in among monsters, but humans are especially tough on 'em." Kurumu paused in her explanation, tilting her head to gauge Tsukune's reaction. "You remember Salem, don't you?"

Tsukune silently recalled what he had read about colonies persecuting those thought to be witches and lowered his head. _I ain't no better..._ Tsukune thought as his eyes trailed to the doorway once again. He slowly walked to his firearm and strapped the belt about his waist before giving the saloon girl a hopeful look.

* * *

A loud thump echoed through the air as Yukari's young body slammed into a wooden sluice that split the prospecting camp in two. The three men chuckled as they loomed over her tiny form, adjusting their suspenders and hats respectively. The lead prospector took hold of the witchling with a scaly hand and raised her up by her forearm, straining the muscles in her tiny limb.

"Dirty injun... we're gonna eat you up. Ssso young and tender!" He chuckled, his features becoming more angular, sharper. His taut skin spread out into thick green scales, portions of his clothes ripping as the muscles in his arms and legs became more defined. He licked his maw with a reptilian tongue and prepared to snack upon the little maiden until a shot rang out.

All heads turned to see the shaky hands of the deputy holding her piece in hand, standing as firm as she could manage for having fired a warning shot.

"Let her go. She hasn't done anythin' to you!" Moka said, her hands still trembling.

"Miss Moka! Run! Save yourself!" Yukari warned, being tossed aside effortlessly by her assailant as he fearlessly began to stare down the obviously shaken-up deputy.

"I know what it's like to be alone, Yukari..." Moka began as she holstered her gun, walking towards the young Indian maiden. "You don't have to be alone anymore Yukari. I'll be your friend. You don't need to torment others because you're afraid they might reject you, either. I was alone for a long time, myself..." She smiled faintly, the scene around them fading into nothingness as if the three prospectors weren't even there. Moka remembered how accepting Tsukune was of her vampiric nature, and hoped she could do the same for Yukari to make her feel more welcomed among the townspeople.

"I... don't like being ignored!" The head prospector roared, charging both Moka and Yukari with his razor-sharp claws ready to strike them down. A greenish blur came between the girls and their attacker, pushing them both out of the way.

"Nnngh-yaaah!" Tsukune hissed, feeling the claws dig into the flesh of his back. He didn't trust his aim with his revolver so his only other option was to push his deputy and Yukari to safety.

"Sh-sheriff? Y-you saved me?" Yukari said in disbelief, slowly stepping towards the wounded lawman.

"Like Miss Moka said," He smiled through the blazing pain in his shoulder as he attempted to assess the situation, Yukari lifting him slowly to his feet. "You aren't alone anymore."

"Ain't that sweet. The little injun made friends with the Sheriff." The lead prospector grinned through his fangs. "Get 'em..."

At his order, the two lizardmen rushed forward, intending to harm both Yukari and Tsukune. Another blur impeded the prospectors movements, the sound of flapping wings coming from overhead.

Kurumu struggled to keep hold on the sheriff and the witchling, taking them safely to the opposite end of the camp. Though it wasn't out of harms way entirely, it would have to suffice for now, seeing as the succubus couldn't hold their weight for much longer.

"Y'all are heavy..." Kurumu complained, setting the two down as Moka ran to their side to join them. All eyes turned to their attackers, all three of them intent on causing the lawmen and their friends serious bodily harm.

Before anyone could move, Tsukune winced once again and his hand slid from Moka's shoulder towards the rosario upon her chest. Instantly all went dark, the sky illuminated in a light crimson as hundreds of bats flew in from one undetermined destination.

The head prospector turned his eyes to the newly transformed deputy, gritting his teeth in determination and frustration. He'd never sensed such a powerful demonic aura, and it was clear the morale of his comrades was waning. Before he could even react, he saw the first of his lackeys take a hit to the stomach. He turned his eyes to his other follower only to see that he too was kicked roughly into one of the empty mine carts.

"W-w-what just happened?!!" He exclaimed, his slit-pupils holding the image of the white-haired deputy within them. He was about to turn tail and run away, only to sense that same demonic aura directly behind him.

"Y'all like to pick on the weak ones out of the herd. Somethin' I'd expect out of a rotten pack of snakes like you..." Inner Moka snarled, spinning around on the tip of her boot to deliver a mighty kick to the side of the prospectors face, shattering teeth and bone as he spun out of control to land within the water-filled sluice.

"I reckon that was as amazing as ever Miss Moka," Tsukune congratulated as he used Kurumu's shoulder as something of a crutch to regain his footing.

"Why..." Came the meek voice of the witchling off to their left. "I did such appalling things... yet you saved me... let alone care about me?"

The three turned to look at one another a moment before crowding around the young maiden, offering her a sense of comfort. Tsukune smiled as Yukari focused on his gentle gaze.

"We already said it: we're here for you Yukari. We're more than happy to be your friends. That's what friends do for one another..."

Yukari sought to get the answer from Moka as well, still awestruck from the aura she filled the general area with. The stark-white hair of the deputy blew in the wind beneath her hat, her crimson eyes focused elsewhere but showing a faint amount of concern for Yukari's well-being. At that, the girl slowly slipped to her knees and began to sob, realizing that she had been wrong to be so mean to someone who would risk their life to save hers...

* * *

"So I heard that Yukari actually went into town and apologized for her pranks," Kurumu said as she walked side-by-side with Moka back to the Sheriff's post. Both had seen a lot from the little witch in the days after the incident, but it seemed that the little girl was making strides towards improvement.

"That's great! She's really growing up." Moka said with a smile as they opened the door.

"Sheriff! I love you!" Yukari proclaimed, clinging to the green corduroy of Tsukune's shirt, hugging him as tight as she could. Moka and Kurumu stood dumbstruck in the doorway, Yukari finally noticing their presence.

"Felicitations! We're all grownups here, so please allow me to join you!" Yukari greeted them in a proud manner, still clinging tightly to the rather confused sheriff.

"After all, I love Miss Moka and now I love Sheriff Tsukune as well! He was so manly the way he saved me from those horrible gila monsters!" Yukari swooned, Kurumu and Moka exchanging quick glances before diving towards him and shouting in unison:

_**"TSUKUNE IS MINE!"**_

The scream of a young man could be heard from inside the Sheriff's post, muffled only by a louder _"Capu chuu~!"_

* * *

***AUTHOR NOTE: You may notice the little references to Yukari being a witch. Well, of course in the series that is her species much like Moka is a vampire and Kurumu is a succubus. Some things are better left unchanged, but I thought it was the most fitting for the setting. I hope no one was offended .**


End file.
